Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-15
! do not propose to longer resist what in the
near future must come to pass"
| FORMER CoLUsAS,
Our Magnificent Inactivity.


Eos. REcoRp-UNIoN We hear of a col
ony scheme here and of boom there,
and how to boom our own section. Our
city is large enough. We have every
avenue Of business full. Manufacturing
has always proved failure here except
upon a small scale. Now what do we want
AS we look around and see progress in
every direction, we feel that we are being
passed in the race, yet if man wanted to
buy farm in this county, and had found
one that the price and quality suited, the
first farmer or real estate agent he consult
ed would inform him that it was not worth
the money. Doubtless they would each
have a bargain for him, but it would look
so near ike the one they had decried that
he would leave the county in disgust and
tell every home-seeker he met that every
thing was held too high here. The fact is
that land is lower, according to quality and
facilities, than in any other portion of the
State, and it has been SO for many years
Taxes in this county are low in per cent.
and in valuation. What we want is more
settlers.
There is on the north of us $1,000 to Co.
600 acres of good land for settlement that
comes almost to our city limits. 1t is not
for sale, we hear but it is for sale at some
price, and it i. within reach of an abund-
ant supply of water from the American
river, who source is inexhaustble. That
so 900 or 10000 acres of land, with water to
irrigate it, would, under the manipulating
hand of Los Angeles agents, inside of two
years be selling for 5000 per acre, and in
five years more it would be worth S., 900
per acre.
On the south side of the American river,
between the said river and the Cosumnes-
the foothills and the low lands bordering
on the Sacramento-there are about 200, 600
acres. This section is all dotted over with
homes, and yet there are many quite large
uncultivated tracts. Go to the Sacramento
county map and look at the finest section
in the State for an irrigation system, with
the American river as supply. A small
portion of the land is now irrigated by
water raised by pumps, and the Natoma
Company sell the water from their ditch at
very remunerative price. Let men from
the East, or from Los Angeles, come up
here and take out the water. and they can
get an interest in most every quarter-sec-
ton of land for right in the canal But
there is no money here to start the enter
prise. The people have their money in
own way.
After our first Citrus Fair an effort was
made to purchase portion of the San Juan
grant for colony purposes. The examining
committee reported favorably, but not very
strong. Some of our best posted citizens
thought $25 per acre too high, and the
thing died of inactivity and want of push.
1t is true that it was the particular business
of no one to push it, because there was no
scheme of self interest in it of sufficient
| magnitude to any individual; but since
that time land without Improvements on
| the opposite side of the river, not Of so good
| quality, not covered by a water ditch, has
| been sold to homeseekers at $50 and up
ward per acre. "What is the matter?
| If the reports are true Stockton can raise
money enough to far outstrip Sacramento
| in furthering immigration schemes, yet
that section is hotter and colder and wetter
and dryer, and more injured by dry winds
than this section.
There are men here now looking for a
place of business investment. They give
Sacramento the preference as to natural adj
vantages, and | reiterate that, taking soil
and climate, rainfall and absence of frost,
| that Sacramento county stands at the front
and fore of the whole State. Build up that
which surrounds Sacramento, and men will
rush into the town. | have propounded
the question to landowners living in the
section south of the American river {:
Will you give one fourth of your land for
an interest in a water ditch that will fur
nish you water to irrigate the other three
fourths ?" And the question has invar-
iably been answered: Yes; or an equiv
alent to one-fourth in money" Figure up
the value of one-fourth of 100000 acres and
see what kind of an investment it will
make. AT $50 per acre it is two and half
million dollars. But do not presume any
one here wants it; some one from else
where must boom this county. II.